For more than three decades, political pundits have referred to Latino voters as a “sleeping giant,” to describe a demographic reality that has yet to translate to clear political force. With each presidential election, much is written about how important Latino votes could be in securing the White House.
In California, Latinos make up nearly 40 percent of the overall population, already outnumbering non-Hispanic whites. Even if their political clout isn’t yet fully realized, Latinos’ political engagement in California is impressive, especially when compared with states like Arizona and Texas. There are all-Latino City Councils, Latinos leading the State Legislature and Latinos running the largest cities in California. Has the giant already woken? CONT.
Jennifer Medina, New York Times